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Antidepressant Response

Meaning

Antidepressant response is the clinical measure of significant improvement in the depressive symptomatology of an individual following the initiation of pharmacotherapy with an antidepressant agent. Clinically, this is often quantified as a 50% or greater reduction from the baseline score on a standardized depression rating scale, such as the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Achieving a response is a critical therapeutic milestone, indicating that the neurochemical intervention is effectively beginning to re-establish neuroendocrine balance. This state of improvement is distinct from full remission, which signifies a near-total absence of symptoms.